We are fortunate to have the following instructions for salt-preserving mushrooms come from Galina Plizga, a talented and experienced mushroom preserver. She has generously shared her bounty over the years at Albion, and now we can make our own. Thank you, Galina!

Advantages:
Doesn’t require freezer space
Mushrooms are pre-seasoned and ready to use as an appetizer or in recipes
Disadvantages:
Not suitable for more fragile, delicate fungi
May require refrigeration in warmer areas
 

Method:
3 – 4 pounds fresh mushrooms, cleaned and stems cut short
Kosher or pickling salt (NOT table salt)
6 – 10 juniper berries, crushed (optional)
10 black pepper berries, whole
1 big bunch of fresh dill with flowers
20 gloves of garlic smashed
Horseradish leaves or radish leaves
Raspberry leaves or blackberry leaves
Oak leaves
Sour cherry leaves

Boil the mushrooms in salted water for 5 minutes. Drain and let them cool.

Place a clean plate or other top on the mushrooms and weigh it down. I use a quart Mason jar filled with water. Let this sit in a cool, dark place for 10 days. Refrigerate if it is hot. After the first day, check to ensure that the mushrooms are submerged in their own brine. If not, boil 1 pint of water with 2 tablespoons kosher salt and let it cool. Pour over the mushrooms and continue fermenting. If there is too much salt, soak the mushrooms in water for a few minutes. Try periodically to see if they taste “done”, then stop soaking once you are satisfied. After 10 days taste and start eating.